State-wide drought conditions weren't the only records to be rewritten in 2019. The stud selling roster for both sheep and cattle producers saw varied results but was boosted by all-new auction highs for the top sire offerings.
Bull sale results
It is hard to look past a more successful on-property sale than that of the Thompson family, Millah Murrah Angus, near Bathurst, which broke two of its own national records in September, including the national Angus auction price with a $160,000 bid.
The 2016 stud national Angus average record of $16,348, held by Millah Murrah, also fell when all 69 bulls sold to average $17,261.
The individual bull record toppled for the $160,000 Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 (pictured above). The previous record was $150,000 when Millah Murrah Kingdom K35 sold in 2015.
The young sire was by EF Commando 1366 out of Millah Murrah Ela M9 and had been used quite heavily in Millah Murrah's autumn AI program.
Purchased by the Cowan family's Oldfield Angus stud, Western Australia, Paratrooper P15 will be used as a foundation sire to complement daughters of Millah Murrah Klooney K42 among other bloodlines.
Arkle Farm's manager Chad Hall believed that P15's phenotype was spot on.
"He has the thickness, the structure, the depth of body and early maturity we are after. He's a tremendous Angus type," he said.
"On top of that, his numbers are really good. As most know it is hard to get both numbers and phenotype."
Underbidders were Ascot Angus, Warwick, Queensland in a syndicate with Gilmandyke Angus, Orange and Clift Angus, Scone.
The bull was transported to ABS Australia for semen collection 48 hours after the sale and had become one of the most popular bulls the company had seen since Te Mania Emperor sold eight years ago.
Back in March, many in the beef world had just as much admiration for Speckle Park breeders Justin and Amy Dickens.
Debut auction appearances don't come much better then the inaugural JAD Speckle Park stud sale which broke a world record.
Visitors from Canada, New Zealand and all Australian states filled the sale complex at Dubbo where all 28 bulls sold to average $11,214 while 11 registered females averaged $11,365.
It was Victoria's Fish Creek Farm Speckle Parks and Merom Speckle Parks who secured the $24,000 sale-topper, JAD Napoleon N31, with his New Zealand semen rights going to Maungahina stud and Premier Cattle Company Ltd.
JAD Night Rider N8 was the second top-priced bull selling for $23,000 to Ben and Ellie Wesley, Big Star Speckle Park, Hillston, for a Speckle Park black bull world record previously held by Wattle Grove Speckle Park.
"I got asked to go into a syndicate on the day to buy him but a bull like that, I don't want to be sharing him," Mr Wesley said.
Also achieving a five figure sale average was the Dubbo Simmental National Sale where 11 of 17 bulls sold to even out at $12,090 and top at $40,000 for Mt Ararat Phoenix offered by John Leek, Mt Ararat stud, Victoria, to the Baker family of Woonallee stud, South Australia.
Angus, Hereford, Shorthorns and a Santa Gertrudis sale were among the highest ranking averages.
Milwillah Angus at Young smashed their own records for a $9979 average during their total clearance of 77 bulls, topping at $62,500 for Milwillah Nardoo N155.
Sugarloaf Angus, Dungog, averaged $9658 for 41 bulls, Texas Angus, Warialda, averaged $9386 for 140 bulls, Spry's Shorthorn sale at Wagga Wagga averaged $9250 for 20 bulls, Watasanta stud near Tamworth, averaged $9041 for 24 red Santa Gertudis, Injemira Herefords at Book Book cleared 85 bulls for an $8682 average, Clunie Range Angus, Wallangra, averaged $8314 for 140 bulls while Rennylea Angus, Culcairn, sold 146 bulls for a $8219 average.
Sheep sale results
The top price ram purchase during a NSW stud sale was not only a state high for the year, it broke Australian records too.
In the midst of a drought Kurralea stud, Ariah Park, sold a Poll Dorset ram for $32,000 and reclaimed the breed's Australian record price at auction.
The ram was purchased by Chris Squires of Western Australian Poll Dorset studs Shirlee Downs and Dongadilling.
It wasn't the first record Kurralea had broken. In 2012 they sold ram, K11-11, for $28,000, an Australian Poll Dorset auction record at the time.
But, in 2014 that price was beaten by Hillcroft Farms at the Perth Royal Show for $31,000.
Not far behind with their own on-property record high was Mark and Jodie Pendergast, Cottage Park, Cooma, who sold their Merino ram for $31,000 to well-known Monaro stud breeder Steve Tozer, Main Range Merinos, Cooma.
A new state auction record for the Border Leicester breed was broken twice in 2019.
First to achieve the accolade was the Sweeney family of Bindaree and Nundoone Border Leicester studs who sold the 2019 Australian Sheep and Wool Show supreme Border Leicester exhibit for $16,500 to Wellington buyer Ben O'Brien.
Just one month later it was Graham and Isabella Grinter, Retallack Border Leicesters, Ariah Park, who sold their Border Leicester ram for $17,000 to long-time clients, the Jeffrey family of Quoin Hill Border Leicester Stud, Phillip Island, Victoria.
It was just $1200 off the national record held by Coolawang Border Leicester stud, Mundulla West, since October 2013 with a ram hitting $18,200.
Simon and Melissa Male, Aberdeen Poll Dorsets, Henty, hit an impressive $26,000 high at their on-property sale which also saw 16 stud rams average $6656.
The top priced ram, a twin son of Aberdeen 679-16 from a North Ulandi 23-15 daughter, was bought by Brett Shepherd, Mullinger Park, Kybybolite, South Australia.
The Gilmore family of Tattykeel stud, Oberon, continued their stud selling dominance with their Aussie White topping at $23,000 and stud rams averaging $7932.
Their Poll Dorset sale was equally as successful, topping at $23,000 and averaging $7413 for 23 stud rams.
Springwaters Poll Dorsets, Boorowa, also saw strong demand with their 12 stud rams averaging $5875.
The annual sale of Poll Boonoke and Wanganella rams on account of Australian Food and Agriculture, Conargo, brought a top price of $26,000 on two occasions with 189 rams averaging $3673 in total.
Other strong averages included the Armidale Merino ram sale at $3435, the Dorper and White Dorper National sale in Dubbo which saw a $3259 average for Dorpers, Bundilla Merinos near Young averaged $3268, Roseville Park, Dubbo, averaged $3183, Langene Merinos, Dunedoo, averaged $3031 and Lachlan Merinos at Forbes averaged $3007. Kerin Poll Merino stud, Yeoval, defied drought again and cleared a record 450 rams to average $2504.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
